The Queen and the Thief
by x goodbye is bittersweet x
Summary: A series of 'first time' one-shots for our favourite queen and her favourite thief (and mine too XD) (Temporary Hiatus)


**Prompt - "Just give me a bunch of OQ first times pls"**

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 **I own nothing but the plots**

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The first time he talks to her without her making a snarky comment to him, they are in her castle, and it is past midnight. They are both still up, him patrolling round, her in her chambers, calmly writing. Robin didn't know why he felt the need to act like a guard, walking through the corridors at night, checking everything was okay - maybe it was a protective instinct. Maybe it was because of the queen on the other side of the door he'd just walked by. She was beautiful. There was no way he could deny that, he didn't like to lie. She was the most beautiful person he'd seen in a long, long time. She was the first person in years who's face crossed his mind in any moment's silence. Anyhow, as he was walking past her chamber door, the thief came to a stop. Before he could stop himself, he was knocking quietly on the wood, awaiting any sign she was awake.

"Come in," she didn't sound pleased at all. Robin gingerly opened the door, taking a single step inside.

"Your Majesty-"

"Oh, it's you," Regina stated matter-of-factly, looking unimpressed and bored. "What do you want, thief? I'm quite tired, I was about to go to bed,"

"My apologies for disturbing you, Your Majesty," he sighed, scratching behind his neck. Why _was_ he here? He didn't know. "I was just patrolling, and I was wondering if you were awake?"

"Why?" a swift brow rose, the tiniest hint of curiosity crossing brown irises. Right, Hood, time to think of an excuse.

"You didn't seem yourself today. Excuse me if that's stepping out of line, M'lady, I just wanted to check and make sure you were okay,"

"How _thoughtful -_ and it's _Your Majesty_ ," Regina drawled, trying to sound annoyed, but Robin saw the small hesitation in her face. His excuse... had he been right? Was something wrong?

"I was just checking, sorry for the disturbance." the thief turned on his heel, moving towards the door, ready to go. He was confused as to why he felt... disappointed? Had he secretly _wanted_ to stay? Even if he did -

" _Stay_ ,"

Well, that was all the persuasion he needed. Robin didn't leave, he just whirled back round to face her, brow furrowed. Turquoise irises studied her face, instantly noticing the slight droop to the corners of her red painted lips, the way her face was carefully neutral but her eyes told him everything he needed to know. Regina Mills, the great and powerful 'Evil Queen', was not okay.

"I miss him - Henry, my son. He was the one who showed me there was a different path than darkness. Now...now he's not here, what reason do I have to stay optimistic and hopeful? I'm not frickin' Snow White,"

"You're right - you're not Snow White," Robin said, moving to sit on the windowsill, looking at her. "You're not her, but that's not a bad thing. You should stay hopeful because that way, you won't stop fighting until you see Henry again. Giving up hope, it's the easy way out, Your Majesty, it's accepting defeat. Yet, you haven't been defeated, so why accept it?"

"You're as bad as her," there was no malice to the queen's tone, more of a hidden undertone of despair that made his heart clench.

"Trust me, I've had my bad days, the days I thought that hey, giving up was so easy, so why not do it? The only reason I didn't give up was Roland. My son was the only thing that made sense in a world full of magic, pain, and death. After Marian passed, he was all I really had. So I remained hopeful, for him, because if I didn't, then who would? You've got to be like that, Your Majesty, you've got to keep hope for your son. If you don't, then no-one will, and he himself will lose hope," Robin finished his speech by clearing his throat.

"How are you so wise, thief?" Regina chuckled slightly, looking genuinely interested by him.

"Who knows? I certainly don't." he gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, a trace of a smile on his lips. "Maybe years as a thief gave me some sort of wisdom?"

"I highly doubt it. Years spent in the _forest_ gave you wisdom? Your people take baths in the river, and pinecones are acceptable for money," Regina remarked, barely glancing at him as she moved to her closet.

"I've told you once before, and I'll tell you again, I take baths like any normal person and we use real money, M'lady-"

" _Your Majesty_ ," she reprimanded, though once more no malice laced her tone, no harsh undertone. Robin couldn't help but chuckle, followed by an exasperated sigh. Regina really was something else, something brilliantly beautifully else.

"I'm a thief, I don't answer to royalty," Robin pointed out, a cocky smirk curling at the corners of his lips. The look Regina sent him was both cold and yet amused. The Queen selected a nightdress from her closet, turning back to him.

"Be that as it may, you are in _my_ chambers, thief-"

"Robin. Two can play at that game, _Your Majesty_. Call me Robin, I'll call you by your title,"

"Aren't you the real compromiser?"

"It's a talent," he grinned, feigning a deep bow.

"Fine, _Robin_ , you have a deal. Now, please leave me to rest, a queen needs her beauty sleep,"

Robin moved back to the door, but before he left, he glanced over his shoulder at her.

"You don't need beauty sleep, Your Majesty, for you are already the most beautiful-"

"Save your charm for someone who cares," Regina cut him off sharply, but what he couldn't see was the smile that had lit up her face, the light blush that had spread to her cheeks. And with that, Robin moved back off into the corridors, a bashful grin illuminating his features, and Regina changed, slipping under the covers with that smile still there.


End file.
